Alba wins first salvo against Alcoa

An American court has ruled that Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) could file an amended complaint on a racketeering suit it filed against US Alcoa in 20 days and produce a statement laying out the case in another 30 days.Alba filed a suit against New York-based aluminium producer Alcoa in February 2008 claiming that bribing by Alcoa officials resulted in Alba paying inflated prices for alumina – the raw material used in aluminium.According to a Bloomberg report US District Judge, Donetta Ambrose, then administratively closed the case in the Pittsburgh federal court after the US Justice Department said it was examining if Alcoa paid bribes in Bahrain.Alcoa sought permission last month to file a motion seeking the dismissal of the case. The company claimed that racketeering law "does not apply to the extraterritorial conduct" alleged by Alba.However, Judge Ambrose ruled yesterday in favour of Alba. The case statement will remain under court seal, along with any motion by Alcoa to dismiss the lawsuit, she said.“The court will revisit the issue of unsealing any sealed portion of the record, if necessary, within six months of the date of this order, unless the government provides good cause against such unsealing,” she ruled.Lori Lecker, an Alcoa spokeswoman, said in an e-mail the company is pleased that the judge has granted the company’s request to reopen the case.